CDA serves children from birth through age 12 across four programs:

• Explorers: Birth to approximately 18 months
• Investigators: Approximately 18 months to 3 years
• Innovators: Ages 3–5 (Preschool)
• Pathfinders: Kindergarten through age 12 (School-Age)

Start by completing an Enrollment Application. Our director will respond to let you know if a spot is available based on current capacity. If a spot is available, you'll schedule an Enrollment Appointment (about one hour) to complete all required forms.

Please bring your child's immunization record, a copy of their most recent physical/well-child visit, and emergency contact information to your enrollment appointment.

When a classroom is full, we maintain a waitlist. Currently enrolled children transitioning to the next classroom and siblings of currently enrolled children receive priority. Contact us to find out about current availability or to be added to the waitlist.

At your enrollment appointment, you'll complete several required forms including an Enrollment Application, Child Information Card, Health Appraisal and Immunization records, a Childcare Contract, medication permission forms, and food program documents. Your child's immunization record and most recent physical exam are required before your child can begin attending.

Please contact us directly to discuss scheduling options. We're happy to talk through what works for your family's needs.

Absolutely — all children are welcome at CDA. We are committed to inclusion and will make every effort to successfully integrate all children into our programs. If your child has a diagnosed disability, we'll schedule a conference with you, your child's teachers, and any involved professionals to create a plan that sets your child up for success. CDA does not discriminate based on disability.

If your family decides to withdraw, two weeks' written notice is required. Families are responsible for tuition during that two-week notice period even if they leave earlier. CDA will only initiate a withdrawal in extreme circumstances, and will always provide at least two weeks' notice in those cases.

CDA is open Monday–Friday, 5:30am–7:30pm year-round for infant and toddler care. The Preschool program runs September through June. School-Age care is available before and after school, and on most school closure days. The Summer Program runs from the Monday after school ends through the Friday before Labor Day.

CDA is closed on the following holidays:

• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day (July 4th)
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after
• Christmas Day

CDA may also close the day before or after a holiday if anticipated attendance is very low. A yearly calendar is distributed in September with all planned closures.

CDA may be open on snow days when local schools close. If roads become impassable, the Center Director will notify families via the childcare management app. If your child won't be attending due to weather, please contact us as soon as possible. Note: school-age children may not attend CDA on days their school is in session.

Yes — please call us as soon as possible for any absence, including illness. For planned vacations, notify us in writing by the Friday before. This helps us maintain proper staffing ratios. Please note that tuition covers your child's spot, not individual days attended, so tuition is still due during absences.

Tuition rates vary by program and schedule. Please call us at 989-968-4068 or email us for current rates. We're happy to discuss options that work for your family — and don't forget to ask about financial assistance programs that may significantly reduce your costs!

Tuition statements are available on Friday evenings for the following week. Tuition is due by 12:00am Monday. If payment is not received by 4:30pm Monday, a late fee may be assessed. If you have any questions about your bill, contact the Center Director as soon as possible.

CDA accepts checks (payable to Children's Discovery Academy, Inc., with your child's name in the memo), cash, and payments through our online payment system. Checks may be mailed, placed in the lockbox, or paid online.

Yes! CDA accepts the DHHS Child Development and Care (CDC) Scholarship, Tri-Share, and other assistance programs. Many Gratiot County families qualify and don't realize it. Visit our Financial Assistance page to learn more about eligibility and how to apply. We're happy to help you through the process!

Yes — all meals and snacks are included at no extra cost! CDA participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), which provides nutritious meals and snacks for all enrolled children. This includes breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner for children present during extended hours. All children are offered all meals regardless of family income.

Please send your child in clothes that can get dirty — outdoor play including mud, water, and sand is an important part of our program! Also bring:

• Multiple sets of extra clothes for accidents and spills
• Shoes that can get muddy (mud boots always welcome!)
• Appropriate outdoor gear for the season — coats, mittens, snow pants, etc.
• Diapers and wipes for infants and toddlers (at least 1 per 2 hours of care)
• Any required medications in their original container, labeled with your child's name

Children receive a minimum of one hour of outdoor time daily between 8:00am and 3:00pm, weather permitting. Children present after 3:00pm often get additional outdoor time. CDA believes strongly in outdoor exploration including dirt, mud, water, and natural elements — it's a core part of our curriculum!

Yes — nap and rest time is part of the daily routine for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Naps are never used as discipline. Infants sleep on their individual schedules. Toddlers and preschoolers have scheduled rest periods. School-age children do not have structured nap time.

CDA uses a childcare management app to communicate with families — including messages about accidents, health concerns, and daily updates. Infants and toddlers receive a daily care record documenting feeding, changing, and sleeping. Teachers are also available for conversations at pickup and by appointment for longer discussions.

Absolutely — you are welcome any time! Parents and guardians have unlimited access to CDA during all hours of operation. Please notify the Center Director or Lead Teacher when you arrive and sign in on the visitor log. This open-door policy is something we're proud of.

CDA follows best practices for early childhood education, which emphasize hands-on, active learning over screen time. Screen time is not a regular part of our daily programming. Our focus is on play, exploration, language, and real-world experiences.

Children should stay home if they are experiencing any of the following:

• Fever of 101°F or higher combined with any other symptoms
• Diarrhea — more than three loose stools in 24 hours
• Vomiting — more than twice in 24 hours
• Severe coughing, difficult breathing, or wheezing
• Untreated skin sores, lice, or scabies
• Strep throat (may return after 12 hours on antibiotics)

Children and staff must be fever-free and vomiting-free for 24 hours without medication before returning. Please call us as soon as possible if your child will not be attending.

If your child becomes ill during the day, they will be reasonably distanced from classmates and a parent or guardian will be called to pick them up. If we can't reach you, we'll call your emergency contacts. Please make sure you have a backup care plan for days when your child is ill and you cannot take time off.

Yes, with proper written permission. All medications — prescription and over-the-counter — require written parental authorization before CDA staff can administer them. Medications must be in their original container, labeled with your child's name, and administered according to label instructions. Medications cannot be stored in cubbies, backpacks, or bags — they must be handed directly to a caregiver.

Yes — all CDA staff undergo comprehensive background checks as required by Michigan's Child Care Licensing Bureau before working with children. Staff are also required to provide verification of being free from communicable tuberculosis. CDA teachers continuously participate in professional development and training in child development, trauma-informed practices, CPR and First Aid, and more.

CDA has written emergency procedures for fire, tornado, lockdown, and other emergencies. Evacuation routes are posted in every classroom. For serious injuries, families are contacted immediately by phone. For life-threatening emergencies — including seizures, anaphylaxis, serious bleeding, or loss of consciousness — 911 is called first, followed immediately by families. CDA conducts regular fire, severe weather, and lockdown drills throughout the year.

Children will only be released to adults listed on your child's authorized release form and who can provide a unique password. Teachers will check ID for anyone they don't recognize — including parents and guardians! If an emergency arises and someone not on the form needs to pick up your child, a signed written note or phone authorization from a parent/guardian is required. Minor siblings cannot sign children in or out.